Join us on “Hitmaker Chronicles” as we delve into the storied career of Toby Keith, spotlighting his groundbreaking duet "Beer for My Horses" with Willie Nelson. Released in 2003, this anthem not only dominated the charts but also ignited discussions on justice and camaraderie, solidifying Keith's place in country music history. From his roots in Oklahoma to his emergence as a country music titan, we explore how Keith's authentic storytelling and musical innovation have captivated fans worldwide. "Beer for My Horses" epitomizes Keith's blend of traditional country and thematic depth, celebrating virtues of patriotism and hard work while navigating the complexities of modern society. This episode unpacks the song's lyrical vividness, musical composition, and its impact, alongside the controversies it sparked, offering a comprehensive look at a track that continues to resonate with listeners and provoke thought. Join host Andrew Irons for this journey through a pivotal moment in country music, courtesy of Toby Keith and Willie Nelson.

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Christmas standards like "White Christmas" often balance the joy of the season with some melancholy. Donny Hathaway's modern standard of "This Christmas" celebrates the simple pleasures of the season, but the complexities of real life give a tinge of sorrow that presses us to enjoy those joys to the full.

You can hear "This Christmas" and more songs by Donny Hathaway in a playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5msQTtkOwzRvTt5NoYk5Ao?si=0146d497298b49f1

In honor of Shane MacGowan, frontman of The Pogues, who died this week at age 65, we are revisiting an episode from March of last year. "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" is a folk song about the WWI battle of Gallipoli, one that MacGowan in his inimitable growl made into something more devastatingly universal.

A playlist of this and other songs relevant to the episode can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5oUG8FGmjhC0ZkzctKvFLP?si=78f2f40c8a934da1

Author: The Best Song Ever (This Week)

"Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers

"Monster Mash" has been a Halloween hit for over five decades. Its roots are in the biggest dance craze inspired by a root vegetable -- The Mashed Potato -- and even Boris Karloff himself was a fan.

You can hear "Monster Mash" along with 160 other Halloween songs in a 7.5 hour mix here:

Author: The Best Song Ever (The Week)

"How Long Must I Wait for You" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Told she was "too black and too fat" for a music career, Sharon Jones went to work as a corrections officer in one of the country's most notorious prisons. On the other side of 40, she found her spotlight with some funk and soul revivalists who built a band around her. She beat expectations and even beat cancer -- the first time.

You can hear " "How Long Must I Wait for You" along with other songs by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings here:

Author: The Best Song Ever (The Week)

"A Nickel And A Nail" by O.V. Wright

The greatest soul song, by the greatest soul singer, you never heard. Here's the story of O.V. Wright and the Memphis soul maestro who gave him his moment of pop song greatness by harkening back to Gospel roots.

You can hear "A Nickel And A Nail" along with other songs by Willie Mitchell and the Memphis Horns here .

Author: The Best Song Ever (This Week)

"Steal My Sunshine" by Len

A sample from a disco hit by a porn star looking to change careers gave a career to Len -- if only they really wanted one. This is the story of how "Steal My Sunshine" randomly became an enduring hit from the randomness of the late '90s.

You can hear "Steal My Sunshine" along with other songs from The Best Song Ever (This Week) here:

Author: The Best Song Ever (This Week)

"The Köln Concert" by Keith Jarrett

It was a disaster: A 17 year-old young woman had filled the Cologne Opera House with jazz fans, but the piano was nearly unplayable. Keith Jarrett called the concert off. She changed his mind, and his performance made history as the best-selling jazz record of its kind.

You can hear the Köln Concert here:

Or here:

Author: The Best Song Ever (This Week)

"The Good Life" by Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett died on July 21, 2023. "The Good Life" remains one of his greatest achievements, a subtle expression of what the good life actually is, given life by an artist who showed that a good life could be, for yourself and others.

A playlist with "The Good Life" and other songs by Tony Bennet from his late-50s - early 60s era can be found here:

Author: The Best Song Ever (This Week)

"Reflections" by Diana Ross and The Supremes

Flo Ballard was the first leader of The Supremes and gave what would become the biggest "girl group" in the world their name. By the end of the summer of 1967, she was out of the group that would then be known as Diana Ross and the Supremes.

A playlist with "Reflections" and other songs from the Diana Ross and The Supremes era can be found here:

Author: The Best Song Ever (This Week)

"Cruel Summer" by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift's "Cruel Summer" became the song of the Summer of 2023 four years after its initial release because it's what this summer needed: a catharsis.

A playlist with "Cruel Summer" and the songs featured on The Best Song Ever (This Week) this episode can be found here:

"In The Summertime" by Mungo Jerry
The summer of 1970 was the summer of Mungo Jerry. Here's the story of one of the top-selling singles in history, told without a mention of singer Ray Dorsey's heroic sideburns. Please forgive the omission. 
A playlist with "In The Summertime" and 14 other songs by Mungo Jerry can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5scEfev4KPILrFNhXhMeAC?si=efa33dc38fb44879 
You can also read The Best Song Ever (This Week) for free at bestsong.substack.com. Recommended if you like footnotes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" could have been a Tom Petty song. Hear the story of how a song written by The Heartbreaker's guitarist Mike Campnbell got to Don Henley and how Henley's lyrics express summer beyond all the fun in the sun. And Henley really did see a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac. 
Hear the full interview with Mike Campbell on Brian Koppelman's The Moment podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moment-with-brian-koppelman/id814550071?i=1000519286788

A playlist with "Boys of Summer" and other songs relevant to this episode can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Sf2ClX1lP9MJtmfGxGaDt?si=5f71ef53b5ed4532
You can also read The Best Song Ever (This Week) for free at bestsong.substack.com. Recommended if you like footnotes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everybody's looking for something... The Eurythmics were looking for a way out of debt and despair when "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" -- an experimental electronic song with no chorus -- surprised them and their record label to become a worldwide hit in 1983. 
A playlist starting with "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and including 19 more songs by The Eurythmics and Annie Lennox can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1nbLhTcxRqqFBe4XZVSwpM?si=1a8ca0ad052544a3 
You can also read The Best Song Ever (This Week) for free at bestsong.substack.com. Recommended if you like footnotes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author: The Best Song Ever (The Week)

Morphine's "Buena" 
1993's "Buena" was the song that introduced many people to the Cambridge/Boston band Morphine. The three-piece band's sound was baritone saxophone and two-string slide bass. Bassist and singer Sandman called it Low Rock for its deep tones, but Morphine goes deep in other ways, too, even 30 years later.
A playlist starting with "Buena" and continuing through other songs from Morphine and Mark Sandman can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6c7GFFHnn8S9QzKFN7DRY2?si=2ff8cf81bb384611

You can also read The Best Song Ever (This Week) for free at bestsong.substack.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Split Enz had New Zealand's first international hit with a song that had the chorus of "I don't know why sometimes I get frightened." It was one of those early MTV videos that for the anxious young people who saw it, they themselves felt seen. 
You can hear "I Got You" along with other songs by Split Enz and the Finn brothers' bands that followed here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5T3b5Lz7XOrm4VM6fjvatD?si=d9e9531930d54585

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Girl from Ipanema" recalls so much loungey, easy-listening kitsch, but that's not the fault of Bossa Nova's history-making song and certainly not Astrud Gilberto, who wasn't even supposed to sing it. 
A playlist of this and other songs relevant to the episode can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3sF2lmLbhbwrq98noI40Me?si=cc58aee82d8d44e6
You can read The Best Song Ever (This Week) for free at bestsong.substack.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peggy Lee's performance makes "Is That All There Is" a classic that spoke to both sides of the generational divide of the 1960s and endures today. Written by hitmakers Lieber & Stoller, arranged and conducted by a young Randy Newman, "Is That All There Is" is the song of her life, and she gave them the performance of theirs. 
You can hear "Is That All There Is" along with 26 other songs by Peggy Lee that we'll hope you enjoy here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4wdSq3foHXvXeDSqOoiO7l?si=bd9a2acb11924075See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Totally Wired" by The Fall

"Totally Wired" is a staple of Punk, Post-Punk, and New Wave compilations and playlists. Not that The Fall would allow itself to belong to any scene. The band outlasted any of those with which it was compiled and over the years counted over 60 members. The thing that kept The Fall goin and breaking apart was cantankerous and quotable Mark E. Smith. Please join us on this look into what their seventh album called "The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall."
You can hear "Totally Wired" in different versions and more music by the artists involved here: SpotifySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Desmond Dekkar introduced Reggae to the world with "Israelites," and he introduced the song's producer to another singer he knew from his old job as a welder, Bob Marley. 
You can hear "Israelites" and more songs by Desmond Dekkar, plus other songs relevant to this episode here:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/36uetjsU7rhqh7UfbgcPbM?si=a376e1a6756b4771See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.